Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1887-06-16
CHRISTIAN BENEvOLENCE;
Or The Bible system of Giving.
Essay


The first grand thought that calls atten-
tion In the consideration Of our subject ~,
that God IL the one, nj mighty creator OF
the universe. This fact stands out promi-
nently In whatever direction we turn. On
this point both nature and the sacred script
ures give abundant and convincing testi-
monies ''In the beginning God created the
heaven and the earth. "(Gen. / - "Hast
thou not known, hast thou not heard, that
the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator
of the ends of the earth, faintheth not neith-
ey is weary There Is no searching Of His
understanding" Elsa. 40 2S.)
Andas God byHis sovereign power called
all things into being, 30 does He in infn-
ite wisdom and tender mercy, govern and
control all for the good of His national
creatures. What we call the laws Of ma
ture are In reality the laws Of natures God.
The wonderful, harmonious working Of the
planetary system, as each moves In his own
grand cycle the changing seasons, the gen
tie dews, the early and the latter rain, the
beautiful productions Of the earth, the fear
full storm, the dreadful earthquake, and o.
yer and above them altman, immortal,
with all his hopes and fears, his longings and
aspirations, are all In the hollow OF His
hand, under the shadow Of His wing, who
''laid the foundation Of the earth"
''He can create, and He destroy"
'Thou even thou, art Lord alone thou
hast made heaven, the heaven Of heavens,
with all their host the earth, and all things
that are therein the sea, and all that is
thereir, and thou preserrest them ALL" (Neh.
1850
"He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm
o God. am idst the raging storm,
We're safe beneath Thy care"
Since God Is the creator and preseryer OF
all, 80 is He the sole and absolute possessor
and owner of all. His right and title none
dare dispute. He is the supreme, sovereign
Lord Of the universe. "The earth is the
Lords, and the fullness thereof the world,
and that dwell therein. Fps. a ID "For
every beast of the forest il mine and the
cattle upon a thousand hills. (Ps. so l0)
But while God is the common Father Of
all mankind, it Is the christians happy
privilege TO be Gods In an exclusive and
peculiar sense. We are His by the right of
creation, by merciful preservation, and a.
bove all by the glorious redemption wrought
for ms through His only beloved Son, our
dear Saviour and Lord. "We are his peo-
pie, aud the sheep of His pasture. " FPS. 100;
3D. 'For Thou vast slain, and hast re-
deemed US to God by Thy blood, out of eve
ry kindred, and tongue, and people, and
nation. Rev. 80
All this shows most conclusively that
God has the first and best claim upon us.
Our time, our talents, our means, our all
are His. All other ties of wteher kin
or friendship, are less sacred than our re
lation TO Him all other duties and obliga-
tions must be made subject and secondary 70
what we owe our God.
The question then arises What can we
do for God and the promotion of His cause?
We should give Our Hearts. II is not sufficient
to be mere nominal members of the church
and observe the outward forms Of religion
before the world, IL the heart be a stranger
to God The heart must be regene. atei first
and reconsecrated TO the cause of God and
the work of the church, time and again.
''My son give me thine heart" prov. %
26.) The inspired writer here indicates un-
mistakably the grst and fundamental step
in the christian course, and in the words of
the blessed Saviour as TO which is the great
commandment of the law ''Thou shalt
love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy
mind" (Matt. % 37,) we have the pro-
gressive consummation.
Our Time and Talents. Christ's beauti-
full parable, recorded I'm Matthew Is IL TO
30, plainly teaches that each one is entrust-
ed:with talent, "every man according TO his
feveral ability" My talent, your talent,
may be but the single one pound, but we
have no more right to bury even that than
had the improbable servant, who for his
sins Of omission was cast into outer dark
ness, where shall be weeping and gnashing
Of teeth.
The Church of Christ in her various de-
partments of work, has need and room for
all. The congregation the, church council,
the Sunday school, the prayer meeting, the
Bible class, the missionary society, the mite
society, the quire, all need men and women
who for the love Of Christ and immortal
souls will freely give their time and talents
TO the cause of God. No one has right to
to refuse work in any place or position If
regularly called by the voice of the church.
There Is yet another line of unofficial
church work, much neglected, rarely refer
ed to from the pulpit, in other religious
meetings, or in the social circle, that de-
mands our time and talents. Do you antic-
mate TO what / refer Ask yourself the
questions When have visited the aged,
the infirm, ,ssthe frail ? When have / read
the sacred Word of God, so full of richest
consolation and promised, or prayed at the
bedside of the sick and dying? When
have visited the poor, the downcast and
distressed, and ministered to their material
or spiritual wants ?what have done, by
precept and example, to bring others, and
especially the young of my own family, in
TO the fold of Christ ? Do occupy with
the pound entrusted TO me- or did bury 1t,
like the improbable servant? Do 1
give my time and talents TO God and His
cause or is my pretended christian life
fruitless one 4? These questions, so import
ant and direct, deserve our most serious
and prayerfnl consideration.
Our Means. The obligation TO give our
means for the cause of God. although readi-
ly admitted, is yet very imperfectly, under
stood People are slow to learn this parti-
cular duty. With many ir is real burden
instead of pleasure, as it should be. If we
view the matter in the plain light of the
Bible, and conform our selves to its precepts
we will learn to regard giving to God as a
high privilege, and not as a harsh duty,